Watching the hourly weather reports wasn't promising. And snow fell from about 9 to 11am. I wasn't holding my breath...
Things turned around about 2pm--literally. From S to NW and 10 knots. Had sat around all day so thought, "What the hell--at least get out of the house for a drive!" and I went to have a look at the lake. Must've arrived about 3:30pm...
Problem--wetsuit, rashgaurd, gloves, booties and harness are all wet and cold from yesterday... forgot to hang them up to dry :-/ bit chilly but I'll live.
The wind is good though... Junkie sensei is on a 9, Taki is on his 12m RPM (uh?) and Gloves Guy is on his 15--time for the S3 15!!! WagonR Guy arrives later...
I take it and 2 boards to the beach. Quick set up and onto the water with the Flyradical!
Mmm, it's ok. I'd like more wind but it's better than frickin yesterday. I'm playing with body-english in the jumps... and how long I can leave it until I put the board onto the water.
Wind drops enough that I'm bored so I go for the Flydoor. Better!
Get some good kickers and a few nice rotations... love the Speed3 15! Man what a superb kite! And then I get a spanking :D mistime a load'n'pop and the board skips off the water--I ditch it; loft, spin, slam, bounce, drag, glug glug... what fun!
Wind has picked up so I go back to the Flyradical and enjoy the flat water and larger waves down near the river mouth... but the wind is dropping and everyone else is getting off the water.
I try a few more runs on the Flydoor but I think it's over for the day. My face is a bit numb and so is my left hand's fingers (but not the right's?!?) so I pack it in. Leave the carpark at 5:55pm...
Moment of the Day has to be the perfect carve to launch--that excellent feeling of springing up off the board and the kite yoinking me up... is actually a lot of effort to jump properly!
Weather was recorded as 10 to 5knots at 5.7°C 76% with gusts no more than 20knots. Hmm... that seems way too low to me.
What I learned today...
• A proper load'n'pop--correct loading of the board and timing the release--is imperative for a good launch and height to a jump.
• The Speed3 kites (with the Triple Depower) work better if you sheet out with the kite is nearer the zenith and sheet in when it's nearer the water... that is, when the kite is more perpendicular to the water, sheet in to flatten it out for park'n'ride. It's very noticeable in the smaller Speed's, as they'll backstall if the kite is up the window and you sheet in... the 21 simply doesn't do it.
• Knees up, Mother Brown! Keep 'em into your chest until you are ready to put board to water and ride away. It's easier to keep facing in the right direction than when your legs are hanging down...
• But you can body-english your way around to get into a good landing position.
• Bringing the kite back over your head a tiny bit lets you actually fly in the direction you're heading, rather than just going up and stopping, or penduluming around.
• Too much though and I get spun around...
• There's a nice spot down the other end, near the river mouth where the water has wide bands of flat behind the waves, and nice sharp kickers. Not much room to shore though :(
• Apparently, it's the same down the other end, near the marina too.
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